The countdown has started for the Helping Hands IV “The Classics at Bedesten” concert

(The St. Nicholas Church, Lefkoşa) on 28 & 29 May and ticket sales are reported to be going well. ………But we still need your support!!

As stated in our previous news bulletin the concert is set to be a very different from previous Helping Hands concerts, which comprised mainly of piano recitals. At the “The Classics at Bedesten” there will be six performing artists, three of them pianists, a flautist, a cellist and a contemporary dancer from Istanbul of Egyptian French origin, Djamel Fellouhe.

Djamel will start the concerts on both evenings with a unique improvised dance performance to one of Beethoven’s most famous works. He will also end the evening’s performance with a dance to excerpts of Chopin’s musical compositions. He will be accompanied on the piano by Fikri Toros. This is a feature of the concerts that should not be missed!!

Djamel was trained in France and has worked with various teachers in USA, France and Cuba. He is also part of dance groups such as the Bulletto Di Roma (Vittorio Biagi). He has for the last 10 years been working in Turkey in both Jazz and Modern Dance sessions. Djamel has worked as a trainer and choreographer in various projects such as the "Night of Sultans".

The two solo pianists of the evening will be Turkish Cypriot Aslı Giray and Georgian born concert pianist, Maka Borchashvili.

Aslı after finishing her music education in USA and UK became the founding chair of the Department of Music at EasternMediterraneanUniversity. As a cultural representative of north Cyprus she has given many concerts in Turkey, UK, France, Switzerland, Macedonia, Germany, Austria, and Belgium and has taken part in some charity concerts too. Widely active in music and the arts she has also composed music for films such as “The Fly without Wings”. She will perform some of her compositions on the night.

Maka Borchashvili, after finishing the Georgian state conservatory and wining various music competitions and on settling in north Cyprus in 2002 performed her first recital in Bellapais Abbey in 2003. Maka continued with other piano concerts in 2004. She is best known for her interpretations of Chopin’s compositions. On the night, she will display her talents with a variety of other works by the other masters. Also working as a piano teacher, Maka as a “Helping Hands” volunteer has kindly taken part in charity performances in 2006, 2008 and in the UK in 2009.

Flautist Eran Raman, after finishing Ankara State Conservatory has performed in many concerts as soloist and first flautist in the Ankara State Conservatory and Başkent Chamber Orchestras. He is also a member of the TRNC State Symphony Orchestra and is a flute instructor at EasternMediterraneanUniversity. A founding member of the Society of Composers (MUDER) and a member of the Art and Culture Advisory Council of the Culture Ministry, Eran has given world wide performances including countries such as France, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, Italy USA, Austria, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland.

The world renowned cellist Nicolas Deletaille needs little introduction. After receiving his musical education in Belgium and the U.S., Nicolas Deletaille began his professional career as a performing artist. Since this time, he has recorded Bach’s six cello suites, Beethoven’s five cello sonatas, and major works from the solo repertory by Kodály, Cassadó, Ysaÿe, and Ligeti. He has recorded numerous chamber works with the Mendelssohn Ensemble, the Rosamonde String Quartet, and Paul Badura-Skoda. He has earned distinction as an arpeggione player by recording Schubert’s arpeggione sonata for the Fuga Libera record label. He has given more than 50 world premieres, many of which were of works composed for him. Among these are several new compositions for arpeggione, representing his effort to enhance the arpeggione repertoire. His term of work as a staff in EasternMediterraneanUniversity ends this year and he still internationally travels for concerts.

Fikri Toros, a businessman by profession, began his musical career on the piano in his late thirties in 1997. His is currently trained by Maka Borchashvili. A member of the Kyrenia Chamber Choir and founding member of the Cyprus Turkish Philharmonic Society, Fikri has accompanied various artists at performances since 2000. In 2006, 2008 and 2009 he performed at charity recitals for Helping Hands. As the pianist in the Cyprus Classica ensemble, Fikri also attended master classes in UK with Polish concert pianist Aicja Fiederiwicz.

This is the line up of artists for the Helping Hands IV “The Classics at Bedesten” concert on 28 and 29 May at 20.30. at the old St Nicholas Church near the Selimiye Mosque in the old quarter of Lefkoşa (Nicosia).

The artists are now busy preparing with rehearsals for the big night. The variety and colour they will provide with their musical skills and experience promises to create a wonderful ambiance of classical music entertainment for all music lovers, no matter what their taste in music.

All contributions to the concert will go to help children less fortunate than others through the courageous work done by the Cyprus Turkish Children’s Welfare Association.

This is the purpose of this event and we need YOUR support to make it a success….